Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Problem with engaging

L

Lee Roeder

Guest
"I was taking my boat out whic

"I was taking my boat out which is a 1970's 18 foot mark twain powered by a 188 hp ford 302, with a mercury mercruiser 888, when all of a sudden the engine shut off and stopped dead in the water. I could start the engine back up, but wouldn't engage into gear forward or reverse. it would rev the engine up but that was it. Any advice would greatly appreciated."
 
"May be the engine coupler, dr

"May be the engine coupler, drive may have seized from lack of oil, may have broken a shaft in the drive.Pull drive first and try a manual engaugement of the shifter, also check oil level and condition."
 
"Since it revs up without goin

"Since it revs up without going into gera, I'd take a hard look at the throttle mechanism, shift cable, and linkages first."
 
"Ayuh,......

Drain the oil

"Ayuh,......

Drain the oil from your drive,+ Look for Metal,.....

I'm guessing you're going to find some......

Those old Mod.1 drives are notorious for breaking the vertical shaft at the top o-ring grove....."
 
I checked the oil first thing

I checked the oil first thing as i got back home. No metal at all. I
 
"Hi, If someone could help me

"Hi, If someone could help me I would appreciate
it.
I have a 1996 bayliner/mercruiser 3.0XL 19'
Did a complete tune-up to start the season w/no problems, but as it happens good maintenance don't guarantee trouble free summer. Anyway, ran engine at home w/water hook-up all week every day with full tank of gas. Motor runs great/strong. Shift to foward gear or reverse no problem. Took it to ramp, put in water: all hell broke loose. Engine doesn't want to start. Long time trying. After a while it started. I allowed it to warm-up for about 10min. I pulled out and tried to accelerate and engine starts to idle up and down like w/no power and stalled, and cut out. Again won't start for a while. Later it started up again. Try to move again and same thing happens. Continue having the same problem for about 2 hours. Then it wouldn't start anymore. Got towed back to ramp. Took it back home, hooked up the water. It started rite up , accelarates, shifts foward & reverse everything's good again turned it off start it up everything working fine Ran engine for about 30mins idle's steady ran great. Went back to water and the same thing happens as soon as boat gets submerge again only when stern drive is completely submerged no matter if trim is up or down. Came back home and again starts right up runs fine. Something happens when stern is submerged. Also, I think it's called the shift interrupt switch, on top of engine block. When boats in water and I put boat in gear and go back to neutral or reverse the engine goes off and I have to move switch back w/my hand, back to the middle if not the engine won't start. If boat is in water only. When boat is on trailer w/water hook-up engine accelates does not cut out could shift into gear back to neutral or reverse everything works fine. Could make you crazy. Again Would appreciate any help. Thank you."
 
Sounds like a bad shift cable.

Sounds like a bad shift cable. will work on land but not in the water because of the load on the prop.
 
I agree with BD.
When the low

I agree with BD.
When the lower shift cable is shot it binds and causes the shift interrupt switch to kill the engine when you try to shift into gear.
Normally the interrupt switch is only supposed to momentarily kill the ignition when you shift out of gear.

Rod
 
"lee;
BTW, I had a "probl

"lee;
BTW, I had a "problem with engaging" once myself.
The problem was I got engaged, then married, then it went steadily downhill from there. But I digress.
Sorry, I couldn't resist......

Rod"
 
Could be the shift interupt sw

Could be the shift interupt switch itself.My brother had one fooling him a bit leading him to first believe it was the cable.Could be hanging up or micro-switch wearing out...Todd
 
Back
Top